Showing posts with label Ohio State Buckeyes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Ohio State Buckeyes. Show all posts

Monday, November 8, 2010

Updated BCS Projections

The biggest Saturday in the ACC is on the horizon. And there are many matchups around the country that will give us more clarity on the fluid BCS projections.

Here is CFB Kings best prediction as to what teams will land where in the BCS Bowl Games:

BCS Championship Game: Auburn vs. Oregon

Orange Bowl: Virginia Tech vs. Pittsburgh

Fiesta Bowl: Ohio State vs. Oklahoma

Rose Bowl: Wisconsin vs. TCU

Sugar Bowl: LSU vs. Boise State

Wednesday, November 3, 2010

We're Asking the Wrong Question

Ever since 2004, I have been amongst the BCS-Elitists whose slogans represent something to the effect of “Just Say No to the Non-AQ!!!” Sure, I have respected the success of Utah, Boise State, BYU, Hawaii and TCU over the past 6 years, but I was strongly against their inclusion in the BCS Bowls and in particular the National Championship discussion. So many people that argue with me on the subject continue to ask me some variation of the following question: “What… you don’t think that Boise or TCU could beat Mississippi State, Clemson, South Carolina, LSU, Arkansas, Georgia, or Alabama?”

And there within lies my problem with the entire discussion. We’ll come back to this.

Even in this season, the 3 Non-BCS powerhouses have proven their capability. TCU beat a Baylor team that now sits atop the Big 12 South. Boise beat a Virginia Tech team who is currently undefeated in the ACC. And Utah beat a Pittsburgh team which has started 3-0 in Big East league play. Right now you’re probably thinking… “exactly, so they should have the chance to play for the title.” Keep dreaming (and reading).

There is NO DOUBT in my mind this year that Boise State, Utah, and TCU could beat any team in the country on a neutral field. Heck, I even think that they could go into some of the most hostile road environments, including SEC venues, and come away with victories. But let’s change that “or” to “and” and re-ask the aforementioned question.

“Do you think that Boise or TCU could beat Mississippi State, Clemson, South Carolina, LSU, Arkansas, Georgia, and Alabama?”

The answer to that question… is an emphatic NO.

But, that is what Auburn has been asked to do this year… and so far (with a 9-0 record) they have done it.

Ohio State has been asked to beat Miami, Wisconsin, Iowa, Penn State, Michigan, Illinois, and Purdue.

Oklahoma has been asked to beat Florida State, Cincinnati, Air Force, Texas, Missouri, Iowa State, Baylor, and Oklahoma State.

Even though Oklahoma and Ohio State both slipped up once, the fact that they are attempting to navigate such a difficult schedule is the point. Week-in and week-out, the BCS conference members have to play a schedule that requires their best effort. The Non-BCS schools do not have nearly the challenge that the BCS schools do. BCS teams are asked to beat more than 1 or 2 tough opponents every year, unlike the non-BCS teams.

Ponder this. In the heart of the season (October):
Boise State played New Mexico State, Toledo, San Jose State, and Louisiana Tech.
TCU played Colorado State, Wyoming, BYU, Air Force, and UNLV.

Now, during that same stretch:
Alabama played Arkansas, Florida, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Ole Miss.

LSU played West Virginia, Tennessee, Florida, and Auburn.

Oregon played Stanford, UCLA, Washington State, and USC.

The bottom line is that these non-BCS schedules are not on par with their BCS brethren, so why should the non-BCS teams play for the same reward? Even the title of the game itself should be enough to drive home that point. It’s not called the “College Football Championship” or the “FBS National Title”. It’s called the “BCS Championship Game”. It is a reward for the top teams that come out of the BCS conferences. It’s not a reward for teams that play schedules with a strength ranking below 90th.

I have softened my stance on allowing the Non-BCS teams to participate in some of the BCS games. It is entertaining to see how a Boise or TCU matches up with some of the BCS powers every now and again. But the BCS Championship should remain reserved for schools that reside in BCS conferences. That is a question that is easy to answer.

Tuesday, November 2, 2010

Week 10 BCS Bowl Projections

There is a ton of football left to be played. After this week (Alabama vs. LSU and TCU vs Utah) there will be a lot more clarity as to how the BCS picture will shape up. For now, here is CFB Kings best prediction as to what teams will land where in the BCS Bowl Games:


BCS Championship Game: Oregon vs. Auburn

Orange Bowl: Florida State vs. Pittsburgh

Fiesta Bowl: Utah vs. Oklahoma

Rose Bowl: Ohio State vs. Boise State

Sugar Bowl: Alabama vs. Nebraska

Wednesday, September 29, 2010

Here We Go...

As I was watching football on Saturday night, I saw one of those Bud Light Commercials. You know, the ones that start with a serious dilemma like a plane crash. Nobody knows how their going to overcome the issue at hand when suddenly a character in the commercial discovers a couple cases of Bud Light and somebody then inevitably says the beer company’s catch phrase: “Here we go”.

It got me to thinking. As I do with almost everything in life, I compared it to football. I related the first part of those commercials (the dilemma portion) to the first month of this season. The hectic, wild ride of non-conference play that provided us with some great matchups. It provided us with “Monster Saturday”. It provided us with UCLA over Texas and Miami over Pitt and Michigan over Notre Dame. The first 4 weeks has indeed been fun.

But…… Here we go.

Just as the commercial turns to a chaotic party of drunkenness, so does the season now turn to the chaotic beauty that is Conference Play. Gone are the dream matchups such as Ohio State vs. Miami and Florida State vs. Oklahoma. Now we start playing the part of the season that matters. No longer will teams be fighting the stranger at the bar. Instead teams will be fighting their next door neighbor, their brother-in-law, their parents.

Conference play puts an end to the first quarter of the season and it takes us into the month of October which is where inevitably the war of attrition truly begins. Slowly, but surely teams fall along the waste side. Upsets, injuries, coaches being fired. This is when the season and conference championship races really takes shape.

Sure there is an excitement about playing a team that you only play once every 20 years (e.g. USC vs. Minnesota). But there is something even more special about turning on the TV and seeing that matchup that has stayed consistent throughout the years. These are backyard brawls. Texas and Oklahoma start the brawling out in the Cotton Bowl on Saturday. Florida and Alabama will continue the bitter emotion well into the night. And so, it begins.

The glitz and glamour of the first quarter of the season is over.

Full fledged Conference Play is upon us.

Tuesday, August 10, 2010

#2 Ohio State Buckeyes

Say what you want about the Ohio State Buckeyes. Hate them, love them. It doesn’t matter. Jim Tressel has created arguably the most consistent program in the country. And with the recent struggles of USC, Ohio State now holds the top streak with 5 consecutive BCS Bowl game appearances (including 2 National Championship appearances). And this year, the expectations are as high as they’ve ever been in Columbus.

Junior QB Tyrelle Pryor has had hype built for his Junior year ever since he first signed with the Buckeyes back in the spring of 2008. He earned the starting QB job early in the 2008 season which led to high expectations for his sophomore year. Even with his 2,094 yards passing and 779 yards rushing, the opinion was that he had somehow underachieved. All of the skepticism was erased on January 1st when he torched Oregon for 266 yards passing and 72 yards rushing en route to earning Rose Bowl MVP honors. Coach Tressel couldn’t have drawn up a better springboard into the 2010 season for his prized QB. Pryor has all of the potential and talent to win the Heisman and lead Ohio State to a National Championship, but only time will tell if what we saw in Pasadena was the norm or an aberration.

The Buckeyes bring back an impressive 10 starters on offense. The Backfield is highlighted by the return of Senior Brandon Saine and Junior Dan “Boom” Herron. They have emerged as one of the best 2-back combos in the country. Saine had 739 yards while Herron added 600. Redshirt Freshman and Top 2009 recruit Jaamal Berry should also enter the mix and provide some big plays on the ground.

At WR, two of the better performers in the Big Ten return in Devier Posey and Dane Sanzenbacher. Many experts are touting Posey as a possible first round selection as he is getting many comparisons to former Buckeye great, Santonio Holmes.

All 5 starting Offensive Linemen return, including All-Conference selection Justin Boren. The Tight End position is the only offensive area of inexperience of the starting 11. Jake Stoneburner looks to nab the starting spot after not playing much last year.

Defensively, there has become an expectation of excellence from the Buckeyes and that doesn’t appear to be lost on this year’s team. Six starters return to a group that ranked in the Top 2 in all major Big Ten categories in 2009. Experienced Senior CBs Chimdi Chekwa and Devon Torrence give Defensive Coordinator Jim Heacock the ability to blitz on any down while knowing that the big play wont be given up. Safety Jermale Hines will roam the middle. 2009 All-Conference performer Ross Homan will be the beneficiary of the multiple blitzes as he looks to be in contention for the coveted Butkus Award. On the line, DE Cameron Heyward is among the best in the nation.

The Buckeye schedule is probably the easiest of any of the Top 10 teams, which bodes well for a Championship run. An early Week 2 matchup against the Miami Hurricanes will be the gage that determines how far this team goes. Outside of the Miami game, the Buckeyes might not even be challenged in their first 6 contests which include games against Ohio, Marshall, and Eastern Michigan. A mid-October trip to Wisconsin presents a potential stumbling block. But the Buckeyes have a great chance to enter their final three games with an unblemished record. Those final 3 games are against Penn State, Iowa, and Michigan, so all eyes will be on the Scarlet and Gray starting on November 13. Even with a loss to Miami, the Buckeyes would have a great chance at finding their way to the BCS Championship game. Anything less than 11 wins should be considered a disappointment.

Key Returning Players:
QB Tyrelle Pryor
RB Brandon Saine
RB Dan Herron
WR Devier Posey
OG Justin Boren
DE Cameron Heyward
LB Ross Homan
CB Chimdi Chekwa
CB Devon Torrence

Key Games:
Sept 11 - Miami
Oct 16 - @ Wisconsin
Nov 13 - Penn State
Nov 20 - @ Iowa
Nov 27 - Michigan

Monday, August 9, 2010

#3 Miami Hurricanes

Da U is back!!! At least, that is the prediction. The “surprise team” of my Top 25 lands at #3. A lot of people will look at this and think I’m crazy. But wait until after reading to pass judgment.

Coach Randy Shannon brings back the most talented bunch of his 4-year tenure back to South Beach as he attempts to win his first ACC Title and lead Miami to a BCS Bowl game for the first time since 2003. A quick review of recent Hurricane history shows Shannon’s development and recruiting process paying off in a gradual increase in victories: 5 (2007), 7 (2008), 9 (2009)… so it gives credence to an expectation of 11 wins in 2010.

QB Jacory Harris returns as an All-Conference caliber passer and is on the short list for the Heisman Trophy. The Miami native threw for 3,352 yards and 24 TDs in 2009. His confidence soared and was often unshaken as he surprised even his biggest pre-season skeptics. Some of that skepticism was realized, however, due to Harris accounting for over 20 turnovers, including 17 Ints. That is a number that MUST be kept down in order for Miami to have a realistic shot at winning the conference.

The backfield is one of the most talent-laden in the nation. 5 four-star or higher caliber recruits populate this unit, including Damien Berry (616 yards and 8 TDs), Lamar Miller, Storm Johnson, Graig Cooper, and Mike James. Cooper suffered a knee injury in the Bowl game in December, but has made solid progress and hopes to return to the field after posting 695 yards in 2009.

With the recent dismissal of Florida State’s Jarmon Fortson, Miami now holds the banner as the undisputed best WR group in the ACC. Leonard Hankerson leads the way after grabbing 45 receptions for 801 yards in 2009. Speedster Travis Benjamin joins him as the Hurricanes #1 Big Play threat. LaRon Byrd, Aldarius Johnson, and Thearon Collier also return to give the unit unmatched depth. 3 starters come back to the offensive line, and incoming Freshman Tackle Seantrel Hendersen (Top rated Offensive Lineman in the 2010 recruiting class) has a chance to impact the field immediately. The Miami offense has all of the pieces of the puzzle that will allow them to be one of the most potent in the nation.

Defensively, the ‘Canes bring back 9 starters, including 3 All-ACC selections. DE Allen Bailey is rated by most experts as a sure-fire 1st rounder in next April’s draft. Coach Shannon has often called him the “most athletic player on our team”. LBs Colin McCarthy and Sean Spence have a chance to remind people of the Vilma/Williams combination from 2002. The secondary returns all 4 starters including All-Conference CB Brandon Harris. Safties Vaughn Telemaque and Ray Ray Armstrong will cause nightmares for ACC QBs with their ability to swarm the middle of the field. Kicker Matt Bosher also returns after nailing 88% of his field goals in 2009.

The one area that scares me about the Hurricanes 2010 season is an area that they cannot control. Miami will have one of, if not the, toughest schedules in America. After a tune-up against FAMU, Miami faces Ohio State in Columbus in a game that many are calling the Game of the Year. They follow that matchup with 2 more road games against Big East Favorite Pittsburgh and perennial ACC power Clemson. They return home for a clash with rival Florida State and then 2 weeks later face North Carolina, who is predicted to have one of the best defenses in the country. If that weren’t enough, they end the season with 3 consecutive games against former ACC Champions Georgia Tech and Virginia Tech, and Big East stalwart South Florida.

The road to a BCS Bowl is long and hard. 11 wins is not out of the question, but there is practically no room for error for this 2010 squad. The resurrection of “Da U” starts now.

Key Returning Players:
QB Jacory Harris
RB Damien Berry
RB Graig Cooper
WR Leonard Hankerson
WR Travis Benjamin
DE Allen Bailey
LB Sean Spence
LB Colin McCarthy
CB Brandon Harris

Key Games:
Sept 11 - @ Ohio State
Sept 23 - @ Pittsburgh
Oct 2 - @ Clemson
Oct 9 - Florida State
Oct 23 - North Carolina
Nov 13 - @ Georgia Tech
Nov 20 - Virginia Tech